The next rendition in the rivalry between perennial powers Notre Dame-West Haven and Fairfield Prep will be for the 2023 CIAC Division 1championship. The top-seeded Green Knights and second-seeded Jesuits will square off in the Division I state title game after scoring victories in Thursday’s semifinal round. Here’s how they got there.
No. 2 seed Fairfield Prep rolls to shutout win
Following a brief hiatus, Fairfield Prep finds itself back in the Division I final. The second-seeded Jesuits shut out No. 11 seed Greenwich 5-0 in the state semifinals on Thursday to move within a win of another championship.
Defenseman Greg Hilinski had two goals, and Blake Baksay, James Murphy and Will Huntington rounded out the rest of the scoring for the Jesuits, who led 2-0 after one period and 4-0 after two. James Heber stopped all 17 shots he faced for the shutout.
Prep will be making its first appearance in the Division I final since 2019, when it beat Notre Dame-West Haven 5-2 for its record 18th state championship. The Jesuits lost in the quarterfinals last season to New Canaan, and the tournament was canceled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They’re 17-6 under first-year coach Vin O’Hara.
Top-seeded ND-WH edges New Canaan
Notre Dame (WH)
No. 1 seed Notre Dame-West Haven is on the brink of a state title repeat after topping fifth-seeded New Canaan 5-1 in Thursday’s other semifinal. The Green Knights jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first period on a goal by Santino Chancio, then pulled away despite a 23-21 deficit in shots. James Mascari added two goals, while Tegan Grillo and Jack Aloi both scored once. Connor Crowley made 23 saves to preserve the lead.
ND-WH is now 18-4-1, but two of those losses came to Prep (5-1 on Feb. 18 and 4-3 in a shootout in the SCC Division I final on March 4). The Green Knights did beat Prep 6-1 in their first meeting this season on Jan. 7. The Green Knights defeated Darien 4-2 in last year’s Division I final for their eighth title.
Division I Championship
No. 1 Notre Dame-West Haven (18-4-1) vs. No. 2 Fairfield Prep (17-6), March 22, 7 p.m., Quinnipiac University
